Traffic on the Crimean Bridge, the strategic link between the Russian-annexed peninsula and the Russian mainland, reached a record high this week. About 2,800 cars were blocked at checkpoints at both ends of the bridge and drivers had to wait up to five hours to cross.
Chaos at the Crimean Bridge. PHOTO: X/Nexta
According to the information published on Telegram by the company that manages the bridge, queues of about 1,000 vehicles formed at the checkpoint in Taman, on the Russian side, with the waiting time exceeding three hours. At the same time, about 1,800 vehicles were blocked at the checkpoint in Kerchi, in Crimea, and the crossing involved a wait of almost five hours, he notes dialogue.ua.
On both sides of the bridge, columns of cars stretched for several kilometers.
The gridlock worsened from Thursday evening as thousands of tourists tried to cross the bridge in both directions. However, the flow of people trying to leave the peninsula is almost double that of people trying to enter Crimea.
The situation comes amid intensifying Ukrainian attacks on infrastructure on the peninsula. In recent weeks, drone and missile strikes have affected Crimea’s energy and logistics networks, causing power outages and difficulties in fuel supplies.
This week’s record surpasses the previous high set on Thursday, when more than 1,000 vehicles had to wait more than three hours to cross.
The Crimean bridge is one of Russia’s most important supply routes in the region and has been repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian attacks since the beginning of the war. Kiev’s strategy aims to isolate the peninsula logistically and cut transport links between Russia and the Ukrainian territories occupied by the Russian army.
